1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video display apparatus by which passengers on a running or moving vehicle such as a train running on the rails or passengers on an elevator may become able to watch displayed pictures as successive moving pictures (real moving pictures) or still pictures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, this kind of video display apparatus, e.g. video display apparatus for successive moving pictures by which passengers may watch displayed pictures as real moving pictures comprises a plurality of still picture display devices arrayed in a line at a predetermined interval on the wall surface stretched along the running direction of the running path in which a moving vehicle with passengers getting thereon is running, the plurality of still picture display devices capable of displaying still pictures as successive pictures when the still pictures are seen as a whole picture and a flashing illumination device capable of simultaneously flashing and illuminating these still pictures.
Japanese laid-open patent application No. 5-27197 (reference cited 1), for example, describes an arrangement which comprises a plurality of still pictures arrayed in a line at a predetermined interval on the wall stretched along the running direction of the track so as to represent sequential and successive motions.
Japanese laid-open patent application No. 2-201489 (reference cited 2) describes a technique in which a video signal is displayed by a display device using optical fibers and in which the displayed video signal is moved following a train.
Japanese laid-open patent application No. 7-104693 (reference cited 3) describes a display apparatus using light-emitting display means to display a real moving picture by arranging still pictures in a line or a character display apparatus which may be movable at the same speed as that of a train. Also, Japanese laid-open patent application No. 7-104693 describes the light-emitting display means which is energized in a short period of time.
Of the above-mentioned plurality of the related-art techniques, according to the above-mentioned related-art technique disclosed in the reference cited 1, when images which represent successive motions are changed, still pictures have to be changed manually. This work is cumbersome, involves some risk, and is also troublesome for a user. Moreover, when such a picture is displayed within a tunnel, it is to be noted that it is impossible to change the contents of the still pictures at every train because the work for changing the contents of the still pictures involves some risk.
The related-art technique disclosed in the reference cited 2 targets the mode in which display characters are moved like an electric news tape. However, the related-art technique disclosed in the reference cited 2 does not disclose a technique in which passengers become able to watch real moving pictures by supplying sequentially successive still pictures.
Furthermore, according to the related-art technique disclosed in the reference cited 3, there arises a problem such that a running speed of a train has to be constantly detected in order to display characters. Also, the above-mentioned reference cited 3 describes only the light-emitting display means which may be energized in a short period of time when a real moving picture is displayed. However, the reference cited 3 does not describe or suggest concretely a light-emitting time during which the above-mentioned light-emitting display means is energized. The light-emitting time of the light-emitting display means becomes an extremely important factor for realizing more natural and clear successive moving pictures or still pictures which may be viewed as still pictures by viewers (passengers).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a video display apparatus in which a plurality of natural and clear successive moving pictures or still pictures may be viewed from a moving vehicle with passengers getting thereon, a series of still pictures representing successive motions whose video sources may be changed with ease in a short period of time and in which display video signals corresponding to a plurality of programs whose displayed contents are different from each other may be displayed in accordance with a desired schedule.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at portions which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a video signal supplying device for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of display devices, and an intermittent display control means for energizing the plurality of display devices simultaneously and making a display time of the still picture video signal displayed on the plurality of display devices become shorter than a video display stop time.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display method which is comprised of the steps of generating a plurality of still pictures which are sequentially displayed to represent successive motions, storing the plurality of still pictures generated at the preceding step in a memory device, and intermittently displaying the plurality of stored still pictures in respective corresponding display devices, wherein the intermittent display step is characterized in that 100t1 less than t2 where t1 is the video display time and t2 is the video display stop time.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of liquid-crystal display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at portions which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a video signal supplying device for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of liquid-crystal display devices, a light source for energizing the plurality of liquid-crystal display devices, and a light-source flashing control means for controlling the flashing of the light source, wherein the video signal supplying apparatus include a random-access memory (RAM) for storing the still picture video signal.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at portions which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a still picture video signal memory means for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of display devices, a control means for controlling the still picture video signal memory means, a detection means for detecting whether or not the moving vehicle is placed at the portion in which the plurality of display devices are installed, and an illumination device for intermittently displaying the plurality of display devices, wherein the still picture video signal memory device stores a still picture video signal comprising a plurality of programs whose contents are different from each other, the programs are selected under control of the control means, and a still picture video signal corresponding to the selected program is supplied to the display device.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at portions which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a still picture video signal memory means for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of display devices, a control means for controlling the still picture video signal memory means, a detection means for detecting whether or not the moving vehicle is placed at the portion in which the plurality of display devices are installed, and an illumination device for intermittently displaying the plurality of display devices, wherein the still picture video signal memory device stores a still picture video signal comprising a plurality of programs whose contents are different from each other, the programs are selected under control of the control means, and a still picture video signal supplied to the plurality of display devices is changed at least at the unit of the programs under control of the control means.
In accordance with yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at wall portions which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a still picture video signal memory means for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of display devices, a control means for controlling the still picture video signal memory means, and an illumination device for intermittently displaying the plurality of display devices, wherein the still picture video signal memory device stores a still picture video signal comprising a plurality of programs whose contents are different from each other, and the number in which pictures are successively displayed on the display devices is set for every program under control of the control means.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a video display apparatus which is comprised of a plurality of display devices arrayed in a line with a predetermined interval at tunnel wall which may be watched by passengers getting on a moving vehicle, a still picture video signal memory means for supplying a still picture video signal to the plurality of display devices, a control means for controlling the still picture video signal memory means, and an illumination device for intermittently displaying the plurality of display devices, wherein the still picture video signal memory means stores still picture video signals corresponding to a plurality of programs whose contents are different from each other, each of the programs stores data indicative of a display frequency relative to a display time period, and the control means controls the number of each of the programs displayed on the display devices in the display time period based on the display frequency data.